Annunciator



Feb. 26 1924.

H. SCHURR ANNUNCIATOR Filed Feb. 24. 1-921 3 Sheets-Sheet I l IIIIIIIIUIIIIIUIIIUHIIIIIJUUIJ j Inzmzzl'or, fjcljl 601611122",

Feb. 26 1924. 1,484,675

, H. SCHURR ANNUNCIATOR led e 24. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

UNITED s'rar zs HENRY SCHURR, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNUNCIATOR.

Application filed February 24, 1921. Serial No. 447,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SoHUnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved annunciator which will be operative to eflectsignals at any predetermined time or times.

Another object is to so construct my improved annunciator that it will be of great assistance to a business man or other person for the purpose of keeping appointments or for any other purpose where it is desirable to have a signal or succession of signals given at predetermined times.

A further object is to make my invention of a strong and durable construction which can be readily used on a desk. 7

A still further object is to so construct my improved annunciator that it will be positive and accurate in action.

These objects, and other advantageous endsv which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of an annunciator made in accordance with my present invention,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the annunciator shown in Figure 1; the outer case being shown in section,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of my invention,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line -t-4 of Figure 3; a portion of the main case being shown in outside view,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of my invention,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of a part of my invention used to effect the closing of an electric circuit,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a grooved ring bed which forms a prart of my invention,

igure 9 is a side view of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing electric contact members resiliently held in the grooves of-said ring bed,

Figure 11 is a section taken on the line 1111of Figure 10 with a top retaining ring in plan for the purpose of preventing said contact members from movement upwardly out of said grooves,

Figure 12 is a view of the same general character as that shown in Figure 11 illustrating a modified form of contact member which I may employ,

Figure 13 is a. section taken on the line 13-13 of Figure 12, and

Figure l-l is a view of similar character to Figures 11 and 13 and showing still another form of contact member and resilient securing means which I may employ.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 to 11 inclusive, my invention includes a cylindrical case 15 which is closed at its bottom and which may contain any suitable clock work mechanism having. a

hollow spindle 16 which is rotated by the clock work mechanism once in every twelve hours similarly to the hour hand spindle of a clock. and another spindle 17 extending upwardly through the hollow spindle 16; said spindle 17 being rotatable once every hour similarly to the minute hand spindle of a clock. The mechanism for rotating these spindles as previously stated may be of any desired construction and is not illustrated in the drawings since any clockwork mechanism capable of efi'ecting said rotation of the spindles 16 and 17 as described may be employed.

A disk 18 is mounted adjacent the top of the case 15 and has an upper face 19 upon which is marked the hour numerals as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. Above the disk 18 adjacent the edge thereof is mounted a ring 20 of fiber or other material which is a non-conductor of electricity. Above the top of the ring 20 is secured a grooved metallic bed 21 in the form of a ring; the grooves 22, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, extending downwardly. the side walls of which are arranged parallel, with one of the sides radial with respect to the axis of the spindle 16. The bed 21 is arranged concentric to the spindle 16 and metallic contact members 23 are positioned within the grooves22 as clearl v shown in Figure 10. These contact members ar made of thin strip metal bent to provide heads 24 at their outer ends and beveled portions 25 at their inner ends; said bevel portions terminating in points 26. The ends 27 of the strips of said members 23 are bent inwardly to provide resilient tongues so that the opposite sides of said members are resilient and are put slightly under tension so that the members will not slide accidentally within the grooves but may be moved longitudinally by the fingers; the heads 24 serving to permit these members to be readily rasped and moved within the grooves 22. 1 e face 19 of the disk 18 is divided by lines at between adjacent hour numerals; said lines being spaced apart distances representing five minute periods as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 8. These lines :0 register respectively with the radial sides of the grooves 22 in the ring 21 and so that the points 26 of the contact members 23 are included in planes coincident with the lines .90 and respective radial sides of the grooves. A retaining ring 28 is secured to the top of the bed ring 21 in the present instance by screws 29; said screws 29 entering the bed ring 21 between various grooves so as not to interfere with the action of the contact members 23 as will hereinafter be described.

A rectangular block 30 of fiber or other material which is a non-conductor of electricity, surrounds and is secured to the hollow 'spindle 16 in the present instance by a key 31. A metallic collar 32 has a rectangular hole 33 in which the rectangular portion of the block 30 fits so that during rotation of the spindle 16 thecollar 32 will be rotated. The collar 32 has a peripheral groove 34 and a metallic arm 35; said metallic arm in the present instance being shown integral with the collar. However, it will be understood that this arm 35 can be secured to the collar 32 in any manner which will permit electric current to flow through the collar and arm. A block 36 of fiber or other material, which is a non-conductor of electricity, is secured to the top of the disk 18 and supports a metallic strip spring 37 said strip spring being bowed, as shown at 38, slightly away from'the block 36; there being a clamp screw 39 adapted to press said bowed portion toward the block so as to move the end 40 of said spring toward the collar 32.

A metallic shoe 41 is secured to the end 40 of the spring 37 and bears within the groove 34 of the collar 32; it being noted that said spring 37 serves to resiliently hold said shoe 41 in contact with the grooved surface of the collar and that the tension can be varied by means of the clamp screw 39. The outer end of the arm 35 has a terminal piece 42 secured thereto; said terminal piece preferably being made of hard fiber or other material which is a non-conductor of electricity. This terminal piece 42 has a slanting or tapered surface 43 which is grooved at 44 to admit a part of a thin metallic wire 45; said wire extending the time desired. As a across the surface 43 of the terminal piece and being grounded on the arm 35. Thus the wire 45 at its port-ion which extends across the surface 43 of the terminal piece is partway embedded in the terminal piece as clearly shown in Figure 7. The slant of the surface 43 is opposite to the slant of the surface 25 of the contact members 23 when the terminal piece is adjacent any of said members, such for example as clearly shown in Figure 3.

In action the surface 43 of the terminal piece, when any of the contact members is pushed inwardly, is to first engage and act as I a cam to push the contact member outwardly.

During this action it is obvious that the portion of the wire 45 which extends across the surface 43 will engage the point 26 of the contact, after which the contact member will be moved to its outermost position by the portion of the surface 43 at the opposite side of the wire 45.

A wire 46 connects the spring 37 with a battery 47 or other source of electric current; said battery in the present instance being illustrated diagrammatically within the case 15 as shown in Figure 4. Another electric conduit wire 48 connects the battery 47 with the bed ring 21 and includes a signal device 49 in the present instance illustrated in the form of an electric bell within the case 15.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that the arm 35 will move in the same manner as the hour hand of a clock and during this movement if any of the contact members 23 are pushed inwardly so that their ends are in the path of the terminal piece 43 that when the wire 45 of said terminal piece contacts with an inwardly pushed member 23, an electric circuit will be completed through the battery 47, wire 46, spring 37, shoe 41, collar 32, arm 35, wire 45, contact member 23, bed ring 21, wire 48'and signal device 49, causing the latter to be operated and to produce a signal. In this manner, it is possi le for the device to automatically effect a signal at any predetermined period or a succession of periods.

As a specific illustration of the use of the device, if a business man desires to keep a number of appointments during a day and at certain times of the day, he or his clerk could, at the beginning of the day, push in members 23 corresponding to the times of the appointments and as the arm 35 moves due to the action of the clockwork, the signals would be successively given exactly at the time desired for the appointment. In this manner the business man can be relieved of the burden of keeping in mind a number of specifically timed appointments so that he can devote the intervening time to other business and the device will be automatically operative to effect the signals at means for determin- I the exact time of the day the heads 24 are of ing whether the device is runnin fast or slow and also for regulating the c ockwork mechanism, the device at the beginning of the day for example, can be properly set to be consistent with the time of the day in the following manner.

The contact member 23 corresponding to can be pushed inward and the arm can be moved through the medium of a hand lever secured to the, spindle 17. In other words, the lever 50 would correspond to the minute hand of the clock which is usually turned when it is desired to move the hour hand and mechanism is coupled up to an ordinary clockwork mechanism, the movement of the lever 50 will move the arm 35 until contact is made with the wire 45 and the contact member 23 which has been pushed in and when the signal device operates, it will show that the clockwork mechanism'and the device is properly timed and set.

If desired the case 15 can be mounted within an outer case 51 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the entire structure can be placed upon a desk. The contact members 23 are preferably provided with depending lips 23*v which are adapted to abut the inner surface of the bed ring 21 so as to limit the outward movement of said members 23 and such shape as to limit the inward pushing movement of the members 23 as clearly shown in Figure 10.

In Figures 12 and 13, I have illustrated the contact members 23 made out of solid pieces of metal without any resilient means for holding them in place and in Figure 14, I have shown a structure wherein a small spring 52 is operative to apply slight pressure to the contact members; the latter being indicated at 23. In all other respects theconstruction shown in Figures 12 to 14 inclusive is similar to nection with Figures 1 fore given corresponding parts similar reference characters.

\Vhile I have specifically described my invention for use by business men, it will be understood that t-he device can be used for various purposes, such for example as in hotels for making calls or in schools or other places for periodically causing the ringing of bells so as to announce period and the beginning of another period in the course of study."

Furthermore I have illustrated my invention to be operative at five minute periods.

However, 'it will be understood that these divisions may be varied as desired and consistent with the making of the parts and their relative position one to another.

lVhile I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the since the that described in conto 11 and I have there- .the ending of one spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at, liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. An annunciator including a time operated arm having a terminal piece; contact members selectively movable into the path of travel of the terminal piece whereby an electric circuit including a signal device may be closed, and means for automatically returning the contact members to their inoperative position.

2. An annunciator including a grooved metallic ring bed; contact members slidable within and in electrical engagement with the bed; a time operated spindle; an arm, operatively connected with the spindle, having a contacting part adapted to engage with the slidable contact members thereby completing an electric circuit, includingma signal, and means for automatically returning the sliding contact members to their inoperative position. v

3. An annunciator including a grooved metallic ring bed; contact members slidable within and in electrical engagement with the bed; a time operated spindle; an arm, operatively connected with the spindle, having a contacting part adapted to engage with the slidable contact members thereby completing an electric circuit including a signal, and means carried by the spindle for returning the sliding contact members to their inoperative position. v

4. An annunciator including a grooved metallic ring bed; contact members slidable within and in electrical engagement with the bed; a time operated spindle; an arm, operativel'y connected with the spindle, having a contacting part adapted to engage with the slidable contact members thereby completing an electric circuit including a signal, the arm having a part operative, after conipletion of the circuit, to return the sliding contact members to their inoperative position.

5. An annunciator including movable contact membcrsya time-operated spindle; a collar 'operatively connected with the spindle; an arm in electrical connection with and extending from the collar and having a contact part; a relatively fixed supporting structure; and a shoe supported by the structure and in electrical Contact with the collar, the contact members being selectively movable into the path of the contact part of the arm whereby an electric circuit, including a signal device, may be closed.

6. An annunciator including movable contact members; a time operated spindle; a collar operatively connected with the spin- -able into the dle; an arm in electrical connection with and extending from the collar and having a. contact part; a relatively fixed supporting structure; a spring secured thereto, and a shoe held in engagement with the collar by the spring, the contact members being selectively movable into the path of the contact part of the arm whereby an electric circuit, including a signal device, may be closed.

7. An annunciator including a time operated member having a terminal piece thereon of non-conducting material; a wire extending across the face of the terminal piece, and contact members selectively movpath of the terminal piece whereby they ivillcontact with the Wires and close an electric circuit including a signal device.

8. An annunciator including a time operated member having a terminal piece thereated on of non-conducting material; a wire partly embedded in and extending across the face of the terminal piece, and contact members selectively movable into the path of the terminal piece whereby they will contact with the Wires and close an electric circuit including a signal device.

9. An annunciator including a time opermember having a terminal piece and contact members selectively movable into the path of travel of the terminal piece, the terminal piece being beveled to form a cam operative to return the contact members to their inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing'witnesses- HENRY SCIIURR. Witnesses: I ELIZABETH (imam, Cmis. E. Po'rrs. 

